Office of the Inspector General

The Inspector General concept is as old as our country. It dates back in part to the Continental Army's custom of having an independent party review the readiness of combat troops. The Library of Congress Office of Inspector General (OIG) fills a similar role by helping to ensure that the Library's business is conducted as effectively, efficiently, and economically as possible.

It is no small task. The Library employs nearly 3,200 personnel and has an annual budget of $642 million in appropriated funds and other revenues. It has a strategic five-year plan that lays out ambitious goals and expectations for the future. To meet such expectations, it is essential that fraud, waste, abuse, and mismanagement within the Library be held in check.

The OIG oversees all Library of Congress programs and operations and has the independence to decide which activities to review. It conducts audits, investigations, and other reviews and reports semiannually to the Congress, and also operates a hotline so that anyone can report suspected infractions related to Library activities.

Above all, the goal of OIG is to conduct highly credible, useful, and timely reviews that support the Library's objectives.